San Diego Padres catcher Henry Blanco could be joining the New York Mets.

The Mets appeared to be closing in on a deal with free-agent catcher Henry Blanco. The Venezuelan newspaper "El Nacional" reported Blanco had left that country Sunday for a physical with the Mets.

Blanco, 38, hit .235 with sixhomers and 16 RBI in 204 at-bats with San Diego last season. He would presumably be the favorite over Omir Santos, Chris Coste and Josh Thole to open next season as the backup catcher.

The Mets still intend to acquire a No. 1 catcher via trade or free agency. Team officials welcomed the news that the Giants had decided not to offer arbitration to Bengie Molina, the Mets' top free-agent target. As a result, the Mets won't need to forfeit their second-round pick to sign Molina.

Coste's agreement has yet to be announced. Praised for his grit and willingness to teach, Coste likely will be assigned to Triple-A to mentor Thole, help the Bisons have a winning season after a woeful 2009 and provide depth.